bii Mr. Claude Grant in South Africa. 35 



forms were distinct species, the former occurring in forest 

 districts and the latter in more open " acacia " country. 



Erlanger assigned Wagler's name (Syst. Av., Columba, 

 sp. 83, 1827) " chalcospihs'^ to the green-spotted form and 

 Linnieus's (Syst. Nat. 12th ed. p. 284) to the blue-spotted. 

 I am myself a little doubtful how far these names apply. 

 Both seem to be founded on Brisson^s " Turtur senegalensis.'"' 

 He describes the spots as " viridi-aureo splendentes in 

 violaceum mutantes,'^ and Wagler follows in almost the same 

 words. Linm«us describes the spots as *' violaceo-azurese/' 

 but refers only to Brisson's description. However, perhaps 

 it will be best to accept Erlanger's identification. 



A little later Sharpe (Bull. B. O. C. xii. 1902, p. 83), 

 Reicheuow (J. Ornith. 1902, p. 134), Erlanger (J. Ornith. 

 1905, pp. 132-135), and Oberholser (P. U. S. Nat. Mus. 

 xxviii. 1905, pp. 844-847) all described new species and 

 subspecies of both the blue- and green-spotted forms. 



The following key will perhaps make the present dis- 

 position of the genus a little clearer, though I have found 

 it impossible to include the subspecies of C. chalcosjiilos : — 



A, Wings witli blue metallic spots, 



a. Darker brown above ; below dark 



vinous pink, a strong wasli of 

 ochraceous on the abdomen, which 

 contrasts with the white under 

 tail-coverts ; bill and legs pale in 



the skin C.afra. (Type from Senegal.) 



(West Africa, and Nyasaland to the Zambesi.) 



b. Paler earthy brown above, below 



pale lilac, no ochraceous on the 

 abdomen. 

 «\ Bill and legs yellowish in the skin, 

 throat much the same colour as 



the breast C. ahyssinica Sharpe. 



(Abyssinia.) 

 i'. Bill and legs dusky in the skin 

 (vinaceous in life), throat paling 



to almost white C. delicatula Sharpe. 



(Upper Nile.) 



B. Wings with green metallic spots, bill 



dusky in skin (dark red in life) ; no 

 ochraceous wash on the abdomen . . C chalcospilos. 



1)2 



